You are here

Behind the Scenes with Apps for Communities

So, who's behind the 50+ apps that we've received so far? Curious to know some details?

Apps are coming in from communities across the country — from Native American reservations and cities in California, Georgia, Oregon, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, New York, Washington, and Michigan.

What are the apps about? They're for accessing information to help with traffic and physical road condition alerts, diabetes, tribal issues, rental property openings, expanding opportunity for low-income kids, pediatric services, emergency use of hashtags, student records, homeless services, greening cities like Detroit, and much more.

The apps are made by men and women, young and old, from teens to elders, local leaders, community organizers, students, new media fellows, engineers, and developers. We're pleased to inform youthat every-day Americans are getting involved with the Apps for Communities Challenge and are putting on developer hats to help their communities.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowskispoke earlier this week at an event at LivingSocial in Washington, DC and painted the broader picture on apps (download his full speech here): "Our 'apps economy' is envy of the world. With U.S. software developers leading the way, there are now more than 500,000 mobile applications available, and apps sales are projected to approach $38 billion by 2015. It wasn’t long ago when the mobile apps economy didn’t exist at all. Mobile, local, and real-time are each big trends, creating jobs and opportunity here now and with huge potential for the future."

Broadband and app development are ways to create jobs, and stimulate the economy. By entering theApps for Communities Challenge, you can take part in developing an app to improve life for your fellow American. Our prize money will help community app developers go further with their apps. Would you like to be one of them? There's still a couple days till the 10/3 deadline! (Be sure to read How to Enter and Judging Criteriaon creating an app for the challenge.)

Pretend it's finals time. Buckle down all weekend to create something you'll be proud and could win you prize money. With mobile phones in the hands of many who can't afford computers, your apps canhelp give communities access to useable info.